The aforesaid copending application discloses a fishing rod and handle construction wherein the rod blank or shaft extends all of the way through the reel seat segment of the handle and into the butt grip segment at the rear end of the rod assembly. The strength and sensitivity of such a blank-thru rod and handle construction is enhanced and the further advantages of increased user grip comfort and reduced gripping distance for thumb control of casting reels are provided in the copending application by a specially contoured butt grip which is offset upwardly behind the reel seat. Such a construction also provides a mechanical advantage in stabilizing the rod and handle assembly against its tendency to twist in the user's hand due to the weight of the reel.
The handle construction disclosed herein is directed to improving the palming grip for casting and spinning rods, as well as the gripping function when casting. When utilizing a casting rod with either a bait casting reel or a spin casting reel mounted on a reel seat on top of the rod or rod handle, the user grips the butt grip, the trigger and trigger indent of the reel seat, and part of the reel seat with his right hand when casting with the right hand. His thumb engages the reel thumb bar and the spool of the reel to control the release of the line, or a thumb switch on an enclosed spin casting reel. It is the index finger which contacts and holds the trigger and trigger indent and the underside of the reel seat when casting. When retrieving and playing a fish with such a casting rod, it is normal to switch the rod to the left hand. The left hand then grips the handle and reel in a left hand palming position. In such a position, the user's left palm is positioned against the left side of the butt grip, the reel seat, and the reel. The left thumb is positioned against the top of the reel or the top fo the reel spool, with the fingers of the left hand gripping and extending under and around the butt grip behind the reel seat, as well as around the trigger and trigger indent of the reel seat.
When using a pure spinning rod and handle assembly having a spinning reel suspended from a reel seat under the rod and rod handle, the user simultaneously grips the butt grip, the reel seat, a portion of the reel housing, and its support with his right hand when casting with the right hand. The user's right palm is positioned to the right of the butt grip and the reel seat. The user's thumb rests on top of the butt grip with the fingers circling under and embracing the reel seat and the bottom side of the butt grip. The index finger is extended forwardly under the reel seat in contact with the fishing line to control the release of the line from the spinning reel during casting.
The state of the art is such that the problems and concerns associated with the palming grip positions have not been satisfactorily addressed. Traditional, offset handles for casting rods did improve user comfort and reduce the thumb to reel gripping distance. This was accomplished by lowering the reel seat area on the handle so as to position the reel below the plane of the rod shaft or blank. However, the rod blank was not extended all the way through the handle because the reel was positioned below the plane of the rod. As a result, prior to the offset, blank-thru rod construction disclosed in our aforesaid application Ser. No. 302,634, offset handles, including those with angled or pistol grip type of handles, had always been attached to the rod as a separate piece with the rod being secured to the front end of the handle by a chuck or a ferrule. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,667,713, 4,044,488, and 2,593,747 issued to Stephens, Ohmura, and Godfrey, respectively, disclose examples of such handle and rod constructions.
Straight handled casting rods having the rod blank extending all of the way through the handle are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,018,923 discloses a rod and handle of such construction. The location of the reel on top of the rod handle in such casting rods causes an excessive distance between the bottom of the straight handle and the top of the thumbing area of the reel spool. This results in an uncomfortable grip when casting, and enhances the tendency of the rod to twist in the user's hand because of the weight of the reel on top of the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,351 discloses a blank-thru rod and handle assembly with the rod blank exposed in the gripping area so that at least a portion of the user's hand will contact the rod to increase sensitivity. No provision is made to improve the palming grip position by the construction or contour of the reel seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,512 issued to McCreery discloses a spinning rod with the rod resting in a groove in the bottom of a handle in such a way that the rod is exposed for contact with the hand of the fisherman.
In recent years, low profile fishing reels have been developed and marketed. Such low profile reels address the palming position to the extent that they reduce gripping distances and reduce rod twist by lessening the overall height of the reel.
Also, low profile reel seats have been developed in recent years. Such low profile reel seats address the palming position problems by reducing the gripping distances. This is achieved by reducing the wall thickness of the reel seat in the vertical direction.
Having in mind the aforesaid state of the art, and the need currently existing for improving the comfort and stability of casting and spinning rods, particularly with respect to the palming grip position of the user, an improved handle with a specially contoured reel seat and butt grip has been developed as disclosed herein.